Football
Features
Martyn Turze | Premier League PPV – the Publicis Sport & Entertainment ‘office’ debate
Martyn Turze, consumer research account director at Publicis Sport & Entertainment, highlights 11 key points from the agency's internal discussions on pay-per-view Premier League matches conducted via the team’s Whatsapp group.
Matchday revenue is just one small piece of the Premier League PPV puzzle
The £14.95 price point of pay-per-view Premier League matches led to dismay from fans and sports industry executives alike, as the Premier League, Sky and BT scrambled to protect the value of pay-television. Callum McCarthy reports.
Uefa sets new course in women’s football with media and sponsorship tenders
Media tender on for Uefa’s women’s club and national team competitions closes October 14
Uefa seeking broadcast partners which can take ‘edgy’ approach using different platforms
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St. Louis City appoints chief experience officer to differentiate itself in MLS
MLS expansion club hires league's first CXO to put a significant emphasis on the fan experience in the club's development and to differentiate itself in a competitive and expanding league. Bob Williams reports
Bayern’s ‘lighthouse’ Super Cup spectator study gives hope to Bundesliga
The company behind a pilot study that tested 315 Bayern Munich fans for Covid-19 ahead of last month's Uefa Super Cup match believes it is possible to create rapid and safe testing programmes that will allow more spectators to attend live sports events. Ben Cronin reports.
WSC Sports strikes deal close to home with Israeli football tie-up
Israel-based automated highlights company WSC Sports has reached an agreement with the Israeli Professional Football Leagues to provide real-time video content
Globo ready to take action against Athletico Paranaense over media rights decree
Brazilian media group Globo has threatened to take action against Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A club Athletico Paranaense after the club sold pay-per-view rights to Sunday’s match using the controversial P…
LaLiga clubs told to exit betting operator sponsorships by end of 2020-21
The Spanish government’s Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, has sent a letter to the presidents of 25 LaLiga football clubs calling for an end to gambling sponsorships after the completion of th…
Papa John’s signs as official title sponsor of EFL Trophy
The English Football League (EFL) has signed up pizza delivery company Papa John's as title sponsor of the EFL Trophy
Montagliani: Gold Cup revamp to create excitement, unpredictability and a commercial lift
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani tells SportBusiness about the strategy behind the changes on and off the field for the region's flagship international competition, the Gold Cup.
‘It’s attracted partners and investors’ | Leeds United’s Amazon documentary
Take Us Home: Leeds United has spent two years documenting the club's attempts to return to the Premier League. Chief executive Angus Kinnear tells Adam Nelson how the series has helped to attract sponsors and investors as well as engage new fans.
Pandemic hits women’s sport, but revenue mix leaves it well placed to rebound
Adam Nelson talks to stakeholders from across women's sport about the impact of the pandemic and how the sector is well-placed to rebound thanks to a healthy revenue mix
Kevin Roberts | Football has to put its hand up/by its side/behind its back and sort out its rule change train wreck
When a veteran coach says a new rule is destroying his enjoyment of the game it’s a warning about damage to the product at a critical time for sport
Championship clubs devastated by UK government’s ‘broad-brush’ approach
Fears of overcrowding in pubs and on public transport has moved the UK government to postpone spectator trials after Covid-19 cases rose sharply in the country, but rights holders and clubs feel sport has been unfairly singled out. Callum McCarthy reports.
The business of Dutch football has fans to thank for its survival
Dutch clubs like SC Heerenveen have sold large numbers of season tickets prior to the 2020-21 Eredivisie season, despite there being no guarantees spectators will be allowed to attend matches. Callum McCarthy reports.
Norwich City’s financial model provides stability despite Premier League relegation
Ben Kensell, chief operating officer at Norwich City, tells Adam Nelson about how the commercial structure he has put in place offers the club a platform to bounce straight back after its relegation from the Premier League.
ESPN ready to hit ground running as Bundesliga partnership in US kicks off
ESPN is putting on major marketing effort to promote its new media-rights deal with German top flight league while also focusing on wider long-term content initiatives. Bob Williams reports
Premier League takes pride of place on Peacock as NBCU’s key weapon in streaming wars
NBCUniversal is actively looking to utilize NBC Sports' premium properties to attract subscribers to its new streaming service and help differentiate the platform from its rivals in the crowded and competitive direct-to-consumer marketplace.
MLS expansion to St. Louis pushes city’s USL Championship team to cease operations
Due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the absence of any buyers amid the pending arrival of another pro soccer team to the Midwest US market, executives for the USL's Saint Louis FC decided it did not make any sense for the team to continue beyond this campaign. Bob Williams reports
Pepsi sponsorship chief Warner says revamped Champions League delivered ‘comparable value’
PepsiCo’s senior director for global sports marketing, Adam Warner, commends Uefa for finding 'different sources of value' in this year reformatted Men's Champions League and explains why the brand has decided to expand its relationship with the governing body to include women's club and national competitions. Ben Cronin reports.
Matthew Glendinning | Making commercial sense of a Messi move
Matthew Glendinning, editor of SportBusiness Sponsorship, asks whether the hundreds of millions of euros required to lure wantaway superstar Lionel Messi from Barcelona can be justified from a commercial or brand equity point of view for the buying club.
Borussia Dortmund woos Chinese fans with virtual summer tour
SportBusiness speaks to Benjamin Wahl, head of China at Borussia Dortmund, about the BVB Virtual Asia Tour, which emerged out of the ashes of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having delivered the Champions and Europa League, Uefa must figure out media rebates
Evidence suggests record viewership for closed-door Uefa Champions and Europa League fixtures won't prevent broadcasters from demanding rebates for lost fixtures. Callum McCarthy examines how the governing body might approach negotiations.
New Mexico United sets unwanted precedent by having to play home games out of state
New Mexico United majority owner and president Peter Trevisani tells SportBusiness how the USL club has tried to deal with being forced on the road due to local Covid-19 health guidelines
Dato’ Windsor John | AFC focuses on ‘business continuity’ and supporting associations
SportBusiness spoke to Dato' Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, about how the organisation has dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic and how it sees a brighter future, with a commercial rights contract getting underway and a Women's World Cup coming to the region in 2023.
Simon Green, BT Sport | Closed-door matches “not the product we paid for”
Simon Green, head of broadcaster BT Sport, talks about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on media rights values and consumer habits and says closed-door sport is not the product the broadcaster paid for. Adam Nelson reports.
49ers ready to help Leeds United become “more of a global force”
NFL team the San Francisco 49ers are ready to play an active role in helping Leeds United become a Premier League force both on and off the field following the club's promotion to English soccer's top flight. SportBusiness speaks to 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe.
Anthony Goddard & Gareth Smith | Sport bounces back on TV
Publicis Sport & Entertainment’s Anthony Goddard, head of media research, and Gareth Smith, media research manager, explain why the post-lockdown period has seen unprecedented and consistently high audiences for Sky Sports in the UK